ENHANCED WATER SORPTION OF A SEMI-INTERPENETRATING POLYMER NETWORK (IPN) OF POLY(2-HYDROXYETHYL METHACRYLATE) (PHEMA) AND POLY(ETHYLENE GLYCOL) (PEG)

ABSTRACT

An attempt was made to enhance the water-sorption capacity of polymers of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) by preparing its semi-interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) with a hydrophilic polymer such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The effects of various factors, such as history of the polymer sample, chemical architecture of the IPN, presence of salt ions in the swelling medium, and temperature of the swelling medium, were investigated on the water sorption kinetics of the IPNs. The IPN was characterized by IR spectral analysis and various structural parameters, such as molecular weight between crosslinks (M_c), crosslink density (q) and number of elastically effective chains (V_e), were evaluated. The IPNs were also assessed for their antithrombogenic potential.

Keywords:

• Swelling
• HEMA
• PEG
• Hydrogel

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors gratefully acknowledge the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, for rendering financial assistance to this work in the form of a major research project (F.12–43/98).